CHARM
by hungergamesnumber1fan
Summary: NOT BEASTLY   PRINCE CHARMING'S SISTER
1. PROLOGUE

Ash

Apparently I don't exist, and I am fine with that. If people knew who I was I would be dead, because well I killed someone really important to a lot of people, he probably should be be important to me, but I stand alone, and intend to stay that way until further notice. Since I don't exist I probably shouldn't tell you my name, I have always wanted a deviously deadly name, like Fire, or maybe even Fuego, but then where is the fun in that? You know I think I will just let you think my name is Ash, and it is NOT short for Ashley, just Ash. You understand what you have done right? You just made it impossible for you to have a normal life, you now live and lie, and if you can't keep my secret your dead, and I would hate to kill you, you seem pretty optimistic to keep listening to me tell my li-story. Before you keep thinking about that person I killed, no he was not my boyfriend, if you must know, it was my brother, we can call him Charlie, or Char for short. Honestly don't look at me like that, you would kill your brother too if you knew why I did.

Don't say, I didn't say, I told you so. I hate people who over estimate themselves so if you can't handle it, then you can bite the dust, push up the daisies, whatever, I don't want to get my hands dirty in another murder. Let's just say for the moment, everyone hates me, with the exception of my brother's ex-girlfriends, we can give them fake names too, okay so we have Hail Black, The Diabetic who misplaced her needles for a spindle, Miss. If-My-Head-Wasn't-Attached-I-Would-Forget-It-At-The-Ball-Too, then there is The Camel, and The Ugly Green One, Ugly Rose, The-Chick-Who-Kissed-My-Brother-As-A-Frog, Redheaded Land-Lubber. You know come to think of it, most of them hate me, since, by the way, it was my fault he left each of them. You see this precious prince you all used to know, and love was a wuss. Blistering Winds? Scorching Deserts? Hah, yeah right, I am the one in the knight costume saving their butts, I am constantly finding someone for him, and I am sure Camel, and The Ugly Green one hate me the most, because I brought one of them home while he was proposing to the Camel.

Anyway you probably think these people are beautiful people, sweet, caring, and I have to say those enhancement pills I bought are the only reason anyone of them own that description. Oh, and don't think you are the only one with my secret, my buddy Tristan is pretty good at keeping secrets, but of course he has a reason too, I said I would sever his "gorgeous" face if he ever said a word. It might help that he owes me big time from when we were little, and he was a slave boy when I actually lived in the palace, and I took pity and helped him escape, if he promised to get me out of the palace, and he failed to. But when he heard I had "committed suicide" he felt guilty and went to find help, and ran into me trying to leave the kingdom.

I am not emotionally insane, I just might have some stress, and jealousy issues. My brother was the crowned prince, and I deserved to rule. So Tristan helped me back into the castle after I was "dead" so I could, well, dispose of my so called brother. Oh no, oh no, oh no, I said Tristan's real name, whoops sorry buddy. It isn't exactly easy to go unknown in a kingdom where you used to live, and where people "dreadfully" mourn you. Hey, what the heck they are so psychotic you could probably tell them they are dreaming. Three people now I am still alive, now so do you, but the question is how long can you keep this secret, and if you can't, well, don't listen to me, but it will become your problem too.

Tristan

Whatever she said it's not true, she dreams it, she's psychotic, completely mental. I may owe her my life but that isn't the problem, yes she killed her brother, yes, yes, , I guess she wasn't lying, and she is a jerk to those princesses just because she didn't have her own prince, like Snow, I mean Hail Black, you know I went with her to get that one to serve them, and nothing is more awkward then pretending your best friend is a guy. I am dead serious, I almost was like, "Yes Princess Harley."

Oh shoot, I mean Ash. HEY! Wait she said my name!

Anyway, she is right, since you continued to hear our story, it means you really don't care about trouble, or something is totally messed up in your head. Anyway we take all freaks, like vampires, werewolves, witches, wizards, faeries, not so many pixies, and just plain mentally freaked out.

Either way, oh, apparently I have to tell my life story.

I was at a slave auction, helping my father sell slaves. I never liked the idea of selling people to work for nothing in return, I knew today would be hard with the king and Char coming to pick out a new slave, after what happened to the other one it was strictly male slaves.

Oh my word Ash, what the freak do you think happened? She wouldn't stop asking for autographs! (I am not saying where though).

So he was looking from boy to boy, and let out a dissatisfied sigh, and then he came up to me. He place two of his fingers gently under my chin, then tilted my head up. "Char, feel of his limbs, are they think or scrawny as a girl, he must be strong, we need a stable boy."

"Father they are fine, but mine are better."

The King rolled his eyes, and looked to my father, "How much for this one?"

"Oh, he will not be taken."

"Oh he won't will he?"

"No my King."

"Five-hundred, there is my price."

I have never seen my father's eyes light up to a bargain so quickly, "Oh but he is a state of the art fellow, certainly double or nothing."

"Double can be arranged."

"Oh did I say double, I meant triple, take it or leave it be."

My father had never referred to me as an, it?

"I will give double it, after the price has been tripled. Just give me the hexed thing."

Oh I guess Ash, you know what I am going to call her Harley, so I guess Harley is self-centered and wants me to skip to the part where she comes in. I really don't want to talk about you, Harley, so just shut-up and get to the point where we are now.

Wow Harley, the whole talk to the hand thing, you know i might just talk to your hand, maybe we can even have a relationship.

Haha I knew that would get your attention.

Hey Harley, yeah we might just want to skip to the part we are at right now, because you know, it's hard to be my totally infuriatingly alluring self when we are being attacked by some mutant dog creature, your stick with all it's magic, just come on we don't need to join in an alliance with that mutt, do something!


	2. Chapter 1

Harley

I couldn't tell Tristan I didn't know how to leave my own kingdom of Greatland, either way somewhere in his, brain, he must know some way to get out of the kingdom without people noticing.

If he could sneak past out royal guard when her was younger he could get out now when he had been sneaking around living in the woods.

He was so lazy though, I can't believe he even lasted a year, he must of gambled like a fool. My face was clearly showing obvious ponder on a subject.

"Harley, what are you thinking about?"

"Well, how exactly did you survive all those years?"

"Ah, questioning my survival technique? Princess, we will live. I did for much longer then it will take to even get right up in the princes face at Tropicus Island."

"Tristan, what about the Iron-Compass Sea?"

"I, well."

Oh great. His plans are always very right here, right distance to the Iron-Compass Sea from where we are now is a week at least. A week to plan, a week to live, and a week to hide.

Before I killed my brother, but after my "suicide", I lived by the Iron-Compass Sea, it had water, plenty of animals, and lots of fish. No one ever went there, they were to afraid of what wasn't there. At that time people were to concerned with my death to even manage to keep the castle gates free, of intruders. It was the perfect time to flee. I had thought about looking for Tristan but realized there was no point in disturbing him, and the life he may have had.

It was a different story when I killed Charming a few days ago. Yes my brother was Prince Charming, no more secrets from me, not ever again. So after I killed him, I heard word of a butcher shop, owned by no other than Tristan Cabtiot. Obviously when he had word of the Prince's death he came back to The Kingdom of the Lost. I knew I had to tell him, tell him I was alive but I had to go.

When I did, he gratefully said he would escape, but before that we bought two matching cloaks, fine armor, clothes, and two rings just in case…

I will get to that later. I looked at Tristan and decided something, "Tristan, I mean how do we cross the sea? You and I both know there is no monster in that sea other than wind and waves. It can't be hard to cross, can it?"

"You see, Princess, I have thought that too, but even with no monster from the legends something is still there."

"Tristan, you know one of your family who belongs to that of Mer, am I correct?"

"Yes Princess."

"Does he not live in the Iron-Compass Sea?"

"He does, but Princess, he would not willingly turn us, to them."

"Tristan, we are both UNdefined, if we do not claim our race, you know what we become. Don't you?"

He sighed, "Deadwalkers."

"Precisely."

"Princess do you really wish to become one of them? There are so many more options for us, we could be anything, it is one of the positives of being a UNdefined. Anything at all."

"Tristan, at least give it a thought."

"Yes, your highness."

"and Tristan?"

"Yes Princess?"

"My name is Harley, you will call me that."

"Yes, your, I mean Harley."

He knew we had to leave, and if we didn't we were dead, and this time for real. We wouldn't even live to be Deadwalkers. I hope I won't become a Deadwalker, alive but living in graveyards with the dead. Once a Deadwalker, the only way out is to become a Spirit Receiver, you hunt the souls of innocent, and take it, until the person is on their deathbed, then you find a new soul and the cycle continues, you would never be yourself.

We were still in town gathering supplies. When we returned to the butcher shop, we scanned our goods, making sure we had everything we needed, Tristan would call it off a list, "Knives?"

"Check."

"Cloaks?"

"Check."

"Clothes? For both of us?"

"Check, Check."

"Rings?"

"Check, and Check, they are quite beautiful."

"THank you, Boots?"

"Check."

"Gold?"

"Check."

"Maps?"

"Check, and the compass too."

"Bows, and Arrows?"

"Check."

"Are the horses outside?"

"Yes sir."

"What will our names be?"

"I still like Ash."

"I will go with James."

"Remember, to stick to it Tristan."

"I understand Harley."

After we had gotten everything, we carefully fastened the baskets of belongings onto the horses saddle.

When we strapped the last one on, my knees buckled and I went down, hard and fast. Tristan raised an eyebrow at me, I nodded to say I was fine, but my checks caught fire with embarrassment. He held his hands out to help me up, my peach dress had become a mess, my black hair had even slackened in the bun it was tied in, and fell to my shoulders.

This was bad, people would recognize me, Tristan held out a cloak, "Here you go Ash."

That was my only signal to the name cover, "Thank you sir James."

He put on a fake smile, and lifted me onto my horse, he got upon his too, and leaned his horse in, and whispered quietly, "Harley, ride ahead to the gates, and they will not suspect a woman, see how many guards, and locate the gate latch. I am sorry but if we become know there will be no escaping our penalty for treason."

"Bye, Tri- James."

"Bye Lady Ash."

As much as I wish I could, it was not one of those riding off into the midnight things, in fact, it was mid-day, it was hot, wolves howled at me as I made my way to that gate not far from the butcher shop. When I arrived guards were on break, and switching post, I couldn't decide whether or not this would of been a good time to make a break for it, of the worst time ever.

Death flashed throughout my mind as if it were welcome as a friend. Temptations and illusions were common on this path, even when you think you have made it out, the perpetual length grew on. With luck I won't lose my sanity to a mere illusion. Even though luck it's self is an illusion.

I could not think of the bloodthirsty creatures that lurk in the woods among these paths.

I decided to close my eyes to think about what would be at the gates, any hope it would be the same as when I "died".

My knees still hurt from the fall, I had no idea what had caused the humiliating situation back in front of the shop. My knees just feel.

I looked at my pocket of my cloak and found one of the rings, the bright amethyst one. It had been gently crafted, and one pearl on either side of the elegant violet gem. I couldn't help myself to put it on, and suddenly my illusions were gone, and the fog cleared through quickly as I left the woods.

The barricade blocking off the rest of the world went all around The Kingdom Of The Lost, but there is only one entrance and exit. The guards there could be anything from wolves, to pixie, or even Deadwalkers with stolen souls. Their rankings could be anywhere from privates to generals. There were so many of them though, and no way Tristan and I could make it through the gate without notice.

We were to well dressed to go as hunters, to few of us to fight them off, to old to play innocent. The barricade was made from crumbling ash colored cobble-stones. I began thinking of ways to distract them while Tristan continued through. I wish I had encountered a shape-shifter in my years before and chosen that as my race, but as foolish as I am I waited until a mere month before my birthday to begin worrying about this. There was another trouble, Tristan was sixteen in a week, and he must change before he becomes a Deadwalker, oh how dreadful it would be to be among the dead, and the only loophole was stealing souls of the innocent. She began flashing through images of her her friend, but this time tall and dark, glancing hungrily at the civilians passing by mourning those they had lost. This would not become of him, she would not let it.

One of the guards then sprung into her face, clearly vampire, smelling awfully of the iron blood of her people, he showed his fangs, and in a flash began searching her things, the wind stirred by his speed blew her hood off, so she quickly pulled it back on. His cold black stare was questioning and full of hunger, there was no loyal guard to that who looked of a commoner. With one slight move she could be dead. Something struck her memory, this was Justin, her brother's old friend, he had been an UNdefined to, I guess we know his path. He opened his mouth as if he were going to strike his blow, "What is it they call you my darling?"

"Harley."

Darn my wretched mouth, he was tempting me to proof.

"Harley is it? Did we not recently have a delusional princess named Harley?"

"Yes sir, but…"

"You will not make excuses, or speak back to a solider madam, do I make myself clear Madam?"

"Yes sir."

He would never listen, just keep on talking she thought, it would give her time to think of a plan.

"You see darling, I was Charming's friend, he spoke ill of his sister, but you must have attended enough of his speakings to know that, the ones after he died."

He did what?, "I am sorry no, sir, I lived in…"

"Where could you have lived? There is nothing but monsters that live beyond these walls, only people of the royal army know beyond the barricade."

"There are now monsters, other then those of the paranormal decent as of yourself. Now release me!"

"You are not permitted to speak to me in that tone you disrespectful twit! You are as delusional as the Princess if I may say so myself!"

"Because I am Princess Harley!"

What have I done!

"You can not be! She preformed a great deal to herself! She, I thought that, her family told us, I read her diaries, she even wrote she would preform the deed!"

"Would you shut-up you fool. Justin it is me! Can you not look at me and tell."

She removed her hood. Justin's jaws fell open, his fangs still through his gums ready for attack, "But Harley why did you, why did you let people believe you killed yourself?"

She thought for a moment, if she didn't tell him it would take little time to figure out she was lying, "Because, I did all the work for my brother that was the Crowned Prince, I could not live under his rule! So I lived on the shores of the Iron-Compass Sea, years later I wondered why I had to be the one out of my home! So I killed the wretch!"

"Harley, you killed Char?"

"Yes," she began crying realizing this will happen many times, "and I have to kill you now that you know. I am sorry, wait you read my diary!"

"Why wouldn't I, I love the parts about me, my Princess, but you know your brother wouldn't approve, well," his voice grew in rage, "what does it matter, he is dead!"

"And you aren't?"

"That is not the same Harley, and you know that, he was a great friend…"

"And a lousy brother, he did nothing, he was lazy, he sat there like a bump on a log. I felt bad for killing before, but know you are not even going to remain undead.''

"Because I read your love letters to me in your journal? A woman can not kill a man, especially an undead man, even if she is a princess. Wait, before you humiliate yourself trying to give me a hang-nail, was I truly as stunningly alluring as you claim me to be?"

Yes, "No."

"Well what does it matter now? I am more attractive then ever, and you will soon be dead."

A familiar voice rang, "That will mean you have to make sure I lie dead first."

"Harley, truly I thought you were better then Tristan the stable boy, even though I am quite thirsty. He must be very meaty judging all that lifting you onto your horse when you were little, and waxing her saddles.''

"How do you know my name?"

"Tristan the stable boy, everyone knows your name, you are the only one who escaped the castle alive. Tell me boy, how did you do it?"

I called out, "That was my doing."

He snickered, "Of course it was. You know Harley, I when I read your journal I saw many things about Tristan to, in fact I think I saved a page, or maybe I showed the entire village. Who knows really but i must say Tristan, I am going to have to kill you know that your little girlfriend has ranked you higher then me, maybe we should make it where you deserve to be described as that of my kind."

I had to stop him, "Justin! Please stop, what do you want from us?"

"Well since you asked, I want him dead, and I want you to admit your feelings for me."

Tristan was terribly uncomfortable with the situation, my cheeks lit light fire displaying my embarrassment. I had written things about both of them, more about Tristan who was my only true friend. "You won't kill him, and I won't kill you, but you must promise this, you will come with us, and you will tell no one of our existence. Understood," I held a Oak stake to his heart, or what looked like an oak twig. His Immediate response showed understanding, and obedience.

He grabbed us by the arm, and began throwing us on our horses, he took the reigns and began walking through the gate, he nodded to the guards by it, and they waved a sign of respect, but questioning shown in their eyes. I felt the urge to run, like I couldn't trust my horse to go forth. I didn't trust Justin very much either, he seemed to straightforward to act this mysterious. He made sure the gates closed behind him and then snatched Tristan and I off our horse, "You will not threaten me girl, I will come with you because I do not wish to hurt which thy brother loved, despite your feelings for him. If you can deal with this Tristan fellow, so I will too, but darling now that we are through what were your intentions?"

"My intentions will remain a secret until we know yours, and wether or not we can trust them."

Tristan looked at me, "Harley, if he wanted us dead he would of done so to us already, I hate to say my trust is in him."

"Harley, I wish nothing upon you people, listen to him, and now that I am in this situation what are we doing?"

"Well do you want a straightforward answer, or the plan?"

"Both."

"We will be crossing the Iron-Compass Sea to Tropicus where we can live unknown."

The color that was never there left his face.


End file.
